Switch stand



May 27, 1930 J. w. STANLEY a 1,760,791

Filed Oct. lO, 1929 Memi: Y JOSEPH l/V. STqNLE-y! Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES f wenn SWITCH STAND Application led October 10, 1929. Serial No. 398,689.` Y

This invention relates to switch-stands for operating railway track switches and has for its object the provision of a novel form of operating mechanism for such stands.

Heretofore the operating lever on this class of switch-stands has b een connected to the locking sleeve by means of links or other standard mechanism which was cumbersome and required the use of numerous bolts to assemble, which bolts became rusted in use and were troublesome to remove when it was neccssaryto dissemble the stand for repairs.

The Vpresent invention provides a novel form of loose link or clip connection between the operating lever and locking sleeve which requires only one bolt or pivot pin and which has the added advantage that a certain amount of free motion of the lever is permitted before the link engages the sleeve,

thereby providing for arring the sleeve should it become stuck due to ice or other conditions.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a switch-stand constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation through the upper portion of the stand.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan taken on the line III- III of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the letter A designates the stand as a whole which comprises a base 2, a safety sleeve 3 being mounted in said base and yieldably held against rotation by spring pressed rollers 4. A switch operating shaft 5 is journaled vertically in said base and has its lower end connected to a switch throwing lever 6'while its upper end projects materially above said base and carries an indicating signal 7 at its upper end.

A squared sleeve 8 is mounted around the squared upper end of the shaft 5 and has its lower end in engagement with the safety sleeve 3 while its upper end is locked to the shaft 5 by a pin or bolt 9 thus preventing vertical movement of the shaft 5 and sleeves 3 and 8, while permitting rotary movement of the shaft 5 and sleeve 8 relative to said base.

A locking sleeve 12 is mounted around the sleeve 8 and has its lower end squared, as at 13, to t around said sleeve 8 and 'prevent rotation of said sleeves relative to each other. The sleeve 12 is free to slide vertically relative to the sleeve 8. Y

. The lower end of the sleeve 12 is reduced externally to-form a squaredlocking,portion 14 and shoulder 15. The corners of the l squared portion 14 are adaptedto be engaged in vertical grooves 16 in the upper end of the safety sleeve 3 when the sleeve 12 is vin its lowermost position while the shoulder 15 engages the upper end of the sleeve 3. When the portion 1 4 of the sleeve 12 is engaged in the groovesl the sleeve 12, sleeve 8 and shaft 5 are 'all held against rotation.

An operating lever 16EL having `a forked attaching end 17 is pivotally connected to the sleeve 8 ata point materially above` the upper end of the sleeve 12 by a bolt `or pin 18 for vertical swinging movement.

A loose link or clip member 1 8a is pivotally mountedbetween the forks 17 of the lever 16a by a bolt 19 and extends downwardly within a hollow enlargement 2O adjacent lthe upperend of the sleeve 12. The lower end of the link 18a is bent at ,right angles'forming a `hook portion 21 which isrfree to, move vertically within the enlarge1nent'20.

The enlargement 20 is provided with a projection or shoulder 22 on its rear wall adj acent its upper end with which thehOOked end 21 `of the link is adapted Vto engage when the lever 16a is swung upwardly to thereby lift`thesleeve 12 upwardly so as'to free said sleeve land permit rotation of the shaft 5.

In case the sleeve 12should be hard tomove due to the formation of ice around the sleeve or due to rust or lack of-lubrication, vthe operator may readily jar the sleeve loose by giving .the lever 16aL one or more sudden upward movements thuscausing the link 18aL to 'strike againstV the shoulder 22.

The lever 16a'is provided withan elongated slot 24 intermediate its ends whichis adapted to it over arigid apertured lug 25 on tlie sleeve 12 and tobe locked against vertical swinging movement bv a pad-lock'SZ-G secured in the aperture'of the lug' 25.

It will be understood that while this inlargement to move-said sleeve upwardly when n ventioii has been shown in connection with said operating lever is swung upwardly.

a low type switch-stand it is notliinited u thereto but may be applied to either the high or low type stands. y l

While I have shown and described a certain specific embodiment of my invention it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since various modica'tions may be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defned in the appended n claims.

I claim 1. In a switch-stand the combination of sleeve being held against rotation relative to said lirstV named sleeve, said' second named sleeve engaging said base and being held against rotation when in its lowermost position and being out of engagement with said base and free to rotate with said lirst named sleeve and said base when in its upper position,v a forked operating lever pivotally mounted on said first named sleeve for vertical swinging movement, a link member pivotally mounted on said operating lever and depending therefrom, saidV second named sleeve being provided with an enlargement into which said link member depends, said c link member having its free lower end bont at right angles forming a hook portion, a projection on the inside of the rear wall of said enlargement forming a shoulder, said link having a limited freemovement within said enlargement and being adapted -to be moved upwardly by said operating lever to engage said shoulder and move saidrsecond named sleeve upwardly. f' Y f 2. In a switch-stand 'structure a vertically fixed and rotatable member, a sleeve slidably mounted for vertical movement on said'member and held against rotary movement relative thereto, a forked operatinglever pivotally mounted on said member at a point niaterially above the upper end of said sleeve for vertical swinging movement, a link member pivotally mounted on said operating lever and depending therefrom, said sleeve being provided` with an enlargement into, which said link member depends, saidlink member having its free lower endfbent at right anglesforming a hook portion, a projection on the inside of the rear wall of said enlargement forming a shoulder, said Llink being In testimon my hand.

adapted to engage saidshoulderafter a limited amount of freeniovement in said eny whereof, I have hereunto set yao 

